Singapore consumers’ insatiable demand for all things Japanese has been acknowledged by convenience retailer 7-eleven Singapore, which is launching 13 premium snacks from the country.

Fried ginkgo nuts, fried garlic, bite-size chocolate brownies and Rooibos tea are some of the new additions.

Singapore is also the first country outside Japan to sell 7-premium products.

Made in Japan, the prices of the 13 new products range from $2.50 to $5.50.

This is not the first time that 7-Eleven is bringing in premium products from Japan.

Last year, 22 Japanese food and beverages branded as 7-select were brought into Singapore.

These products will, however, be re-branded as 7-premium, with the packaging unchanged. This means that a total of 35 types of 7-Premium products would be sold in Singapore.

Sales performance of the 22 products introduced last year was “extremely well”,​ with chocolate sticks, cheese and cod, and mentaiko rings most popular with consumers, Crispian Leong, head of marketing at 7-Eleven said in response to FoodNavigator-Asia​’s queries.

“7-Eleven Japan is very careful with the usage of their 7-Premium branding but they saw the potential of Singapore due to the culture and in how 7-Eleven Singapore has successfully launched other 7-Eleven initiatives,”​ he said.

With the rebranding of the 22 Japanese food and beverages, the 7-select brands would only consist of American products, such as the Prime Rib Flavoured Wavy Chips and the ready-to-eat meals.

New Beverages ​

7-eleven is also launching 7-premium beverages into Singapore for the first time.

Some of these drinks are made from organic ingredients, such as the Rooibos Tea made from 100% South American organic ingredients.

Other products included Decaf Drip Coffee and Barley Tea, which is made from three types of barley and is highly popular in Japan.

Snacking trend ​

Singaporeans have a “curious snacking palette”,​ with customers willing to try snacks from all over the world, Leong said when commenting on the snacking trend in Singapore.

He highlighted that snacks from Japan and Korea were the most popular at the moment.

Local firms are also developing new snacking experiences by infusing local taste.